Changes

| resting_place=Resthaven Cemetery in Midland​

| resting_place=Resthaven Cemetery in Midland​

| nationality=[[United States|American]] ​

| nationality=[[United States|American]] ​

| party=[[Republican Party |Republican]]​

| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]​

| spouse=Patsy A. Oaks Painter (married c. 1979-2019, his death)

| spouse=Patsy A. Oaks Painter (married c. 1979-2019, his death)

| children=Sandy P. Stewart

| children=Sandy P. Stewart

|serviceyears=1966-1970

|serviceyears=1966-1970

}}​

}}​

'''Gary Wayne Painter''' (April 2, 1947 &ndash; May 26, 2019) was the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[sheriff]] of [[Midland]] County, [[Texas]], a position that he held from January 1, 1985, until his sudden death in office midway in his ninth four-year term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/gary-painter/garymidland|title=Gary W. Painter|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

'''Gary Wayne Painter''' (April 2, 1947 &ndash; May 26, 2019) was the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[sheriff]] of [[Midland]] County, [[Texas]], a position that he held from January 1, 1985, until his sudden death in office midway in his ninth four-year term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/gary-painter/garymidland|title=Gary W. Painter|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

==Background==

==Background==

==Career==

==Career==

 

In September 1970, immediately after leaving the military, he  joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol officer. He then became a highway patrol officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety. He also worked with the sheriff's offices in Culberson and Presidio counties in southwestern Texas. In Alpine, Texas,  he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in police administration from Sul Ross State University, named for Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (1838-1898), the 19th [[governor]] of Texas. Painter worked too for the Midland Police Department until 1982, when he joined the Midland County sheriff's office. There he was assigned to the detention division and became a criminal investigator and a patrol lieutenant.<ref name=findagrave/>

In September 1970, immediately after leaving the military, he  joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol officer. He then became a highway patrol officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety. He also worked with the sheriff's offices in Culberson and Presidio counties in southwestern Texas. In Alpine, Texas,  he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in police administration from Sul Ross State University, named for Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (1838-1898), the 19th [[governor]] of Texas. Painter worked too for the Midland Police Department until 1982, when he joined the Midland County sheriff's office. There he was assigned to the detention division and became a criminal investigator and a patrol lieutenant.<ref name=findagrave/>

Other opponents who tried to derail Painter on alleged grounds of too much concentration on the war on drugs, ignoring the needs of Midland County, confiscation of drug money, and too many out-of-county arrest ventures were defeated time after time. Painter even managed to sink the re-nomination of a county judge and fellow Republican, Charles Wallis "Bro" Seltzer (born 1948), a Midland oil and [[natural gas]] attorney and reserve Air Force officer.<ref name=lawwestofpecos>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasobserver.org/185-the-law-west-of-the-pecos-for-sixteen-years-gary-painter-has-been-the-states-most-flamboyant-drug-warrior-is-his-star-beginning-to-dim/|title=The Law West of the Pecos|author=Nate Blakeslee|date=December 10, 1999|publisher=''The Texas Observer''|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>​

Other opponents who tried to derail Painter on alleged grounds of too much concentration on the war on drugs, ignoring the needs of Midland County, confiscation of drug money, and too many out-of-county arrest ventures were defeated time after time. Painter even managed to sink the re-nomination of a county judge and fellow Republican, Charles Wallis "Bro" Seltzer (born 1948), a Midland oil and [[natural gas]] attorney and reserve Air Force officer.<ref name=lawwestofpecos>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasobserver.org/185-the-law-west-of-the-pecos-for-sixteen-years-gary-painter-has-been-the-states-most-flamboyant-drug-warrior-is-his-star-beginning-to-dim/|title=The Law West of the Pecos|author=Nate Blakeslee|date=December 10, 1999|publisher=''The Texas Observer''|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>​

A sheriff in Texas is a peace officer who enforces state criminal laws and is responsible for the county jail, bail bonds, civil process, and court security. In some smaller counties, he is also the tax collector.<ref>"History of the Office of Sheriff," co.midland.tx.us, September 17, 2014; no longer accessible on-line.</ref> Sheriff Painter started the first still-functioning multi-jurisdictional [[narcotics]] task force in West Texas. He organized the Midland County Sheriff's Office Crisis Intervention Unit and worked to establish the Permian Basin Peace Officers Association, and was one of the founders of the organization "STAR," or  Sheriffs of Texas Agreed Response,<ref name=painterbio/> a tactical unit of deputies from some sixty counties organized like a "national guard." STAR was born amid the April 1997 standoff in Fort Davis, Texas, vis]], where Richard Lance "Rick" McLaren (born c. 1953), a leader of the right-wing militia group called the "Republic of Texas," held two of his neighbors hostage for several days in a trailer park in the Davis Mountains before he agreed to surrender to state troopers.<ref name=lawwestofpecos/>

A sheriff in Texas is a peace officer who enforces state criminal laws and is responsible for the county jail, bail bonds, civil process, and court security. In some smaller counties, he is also the tax collector.<ref>"History of the Office of Sheriff," co.midland.tx.us, September 17, 2014; no longer accessible on-line.</ref> Sheriff Painter started the first still-functioning multi-jurisdictional [[narcotics]] task force in West Texas. He organized the Midland County Sheriff's Office Crisis Intervention Unit and worked to establish the Permian Basin Peace Officers Association, and was one of the founders of the organization "STAR," or  Sheriffs of Texas Agreed Response,<ref name=painterbio/> a tactical unit of deputies from some sixty counties organized like a "national guard." STAR was born amid the April 1997 standoff in Fort Davis, Texas, vis, where Richard Lance "Rick" McLaren (born c. 1953), a leader of the right-wing militia group called the "Republic of Texas," held two of his neighbors hostage for several days in a trailer park in the Davis Mountains before he agreed to surrender to state troopers.<ref name=lawwestofpecos/>

Painter was honored by the 200 Club as  "Officer of the Year"  in 1988 and 1991. Recognized for his leadership abilities, He was a former president of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas, in which he held a lifetime membership. He also served on the Legislative and Technology committees of the Sheriff’s Association. He proposed legislation to strengthen law enforcement. He was also a former president of the regional Western States Sheriff’s Association. In 2016, Texas Governor [[Greg Abbott]] appointed Painter as a commissioner of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles after earlier serving for seven years on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards under appointment olf Abbott's predecessor, Governor [[Rick Perry]].<ref name=findagrave/>

Painter was honored by the 200 Club as  "Officer of the Year"  in 1988 and 1991. Recognized for his leadership abilities, He was a former president of the Sheriff's Association of Texas, in which he held a lifetime membership. He also served on the Legislative and Technology committees of the Sheriff's Association. He proposed legislation to strengthen law enforcement. He was also a former president of the regional Western States Sheriff's Association. In 2016, Texas Governor [[Greg Abbott]] appointed Painter as a commissioner of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles after earlier serving for seven years on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards under appointment olf Abbott's predecessor, Governor [[Rick Perry]].<ref name=findagrave/>

===Law enforcement innovations===

===Law enforcement innovations===

In 1990, after his first re-election, Painter pushed for construction of a new sheriff's office and detention facility, which relieved overcrowding at the then courthouse and spared the need to house surplus prisoners in other counties for a daily fee. He instituted many technological innovations, including the first, either locally or regionally:<br>​

In 1990, after his first re-election, Painter pushed for construction of a new sheriff's office and detention facility, which relieved overcrowding at the then courthouse and spared the need to house surplus prisoners in other counties for a daily fee. He instituted many technological innovations, including the first, either locally or regionally:<br>​

 

*Color video imaging machine for mugshots​

*Color video imaging machine for mugshots​

*Digital radio system​

*Digital radio system​